During all of my school visits in the United Kingdom, I have taken some time to acknowledge that when I am visiting a school, I am also visiting the surrounding community. I believe schools should live and operate as part of the overall community, not as isolated gatekeepers. I appreciate how open the communities of … Continue reading Schools in their Communities – Photos

Seeing Whiteness in “Colorblind” Scotland Every time my partner and I move to a new city we take the time to search the racial demographics of where we are headed. For Lauren, as a black woman, the diversity of a city often reflects the probability of finding safe space along with other everyday complications like … Continue reading Seeing Whiteness in “Colorblind” Scotland

I first learned about Hull, England about 4 years ago. I was scrambling at work, trying to build my knowledge of restorative practices (RP) as I attempted to shift the culture at my elementary school in East Harlem. I had been engulfed in 11-hour work days, navigating emotional and physical outbursts from students, families and … Continue reading My Restorative Journey to Hull, England

I vaguely remember an afternoon, whole-school meeting during my first week of teaching 12 years ago. I remember sitting on a creaky wooden chair in a cavernous auditorium in Brooklyn, trying to listen to a NYC Department of Education employee as he droned on about licensure requirements and the general standards and values for teachers. … Continue reading Focusing on Shared Values rather than Guns

When We Were Young: Photographs of Childhood from the National Galleries of Scotland I took some time to see some visual art today. I often forget that visual work never fails to feed me, particularly when writing can often feel like a daunting task. The free admission, Scottish National Portrait Gallery has several inspiring exhibits, … Continue reading A Visit to the Scottish National Portrait Gallery

Reminder: This is a personal blog. All views and information presented herein are my own and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State. “Hi Reed. I apologise for the very short notice but we were advised late last night that due to the federal budget impasse … Continue reading What I didn’t get to say to Betsy DeVos